Day 1: Mekong Song Xanh Cruise Trip from Sai Gon to Chau Doc: Cai Be cruising tour to Vinh Long and then towards Sa Dec (L/D)

Song Xanh Cruise

07:30. Pick you up at your hotel in Saigon to Vinh Long. The excursion starts from Cai Be town pier at around 10.00 am. Upon embarkation on your sampan-hotel, you will be welcomed with fresh cotton towels. After your installation, the cruise will begin with the visit of Cai Be floating market which is one of the most impressive sights in Can Tho. It is a very unique culture in the Mekong River Delta which attracts a lot of tourists, especially foreign tourists.

You will visit an ancient mandarin house dating from 1890 where you will we welcomed by the owner. Further, another stop at some local home factories will allow you to observe how rice paste, coconut candies and other specialties are traditionally made. We will proceed to Phu An hamlet, an untouched beautiful area reflecting some of the best sights the Mekong Delta can offer. A delicious lunch will await you at “Le Longanier”, a superb Indochinese villa located by the river, in a lush tropical garden surrounded by fruit plantations. After lunch, your sampan will proceed to Sa Dec cruising the Tien Giang river, one of the two large arms of the Mekong. These evergreen islands among the Mekong River bring about large networks of meandering rivers, criss-crossed with countless arroyos, and remaining unknown to many people. We will then cruise on a small beautiful canal through water jacinth plantation. You will take a small rowing boat for a cruise along a narrow canal passing by a local tiny village and fruit plantations. Further on the banks, some dark smokes in the sky will lead us to one of the largest artisanal bricks and tiles factory where you will have an interesting visit. Sa Dec town will appear like a little “Venice” with numerous narrow canals. You will disembark for a guided visit of this charming and peaceful town, walking along its narrow streets where beautiful French old houses, Chinese temples and Vietnamese Dinh are dating from the last century… You visit the local market and the Trung Vuong primary school where well known writer Marguerite Duras spent her childhood (see her famous novel turned into the movie “The Lover”). Before sunset, we will have our last stop on the banks arranged at a splendid ancient house or “Nha Co” dating from the early 19th century. After being greeted by the owners, we will cater a delicious dinner for you, an unforgettable experience in a unique atmosphere. Overnight on board “Song Xanh” sampan

The breakfast will be served on board at 7 am. Your Sampan will slowly leave Sa Dec and proceed the cruise upstream the river to Long Xuyen, the capital city of An Giang Province, in the Mekong Delta region of southwestern Vietnam. Long Xuyên is the center of the Hoa Hao religion. There are also many Catholic churches, as well as some people who follow Buddhism and other religions. We will pass by several luxuriant islands, crossing countless sampan boats carrying sand, rice, fruits and vegetables, fishes, showing an intense activity on the river. Approaching Long Xuyen, your lunch will be served on board. Later, you will have a quick tour of Long Xuyen typical center before cruising further to “Cu Lao Ong Ho” (The Tiger Island) for a visit at Ton Duc Thang museum, second president of Vietnam… We will proceed upstream on the Mekong River to Chau Doc. Some stops on the banks will be possible for cycling tours to discover deeper the inhabitant’s life style. In the evening, we organize for you an exciting experience at an ancient house located by the river in the suburbs of Cho Moi, where your dinner will be arranged. You can share experiences with family members and learn about traditional Southern Vietnam lifestyle, one of the highlights of your journey on the Mekong which should not be forgotten! Back on board your private sampan for your second night on the river.

Day 3 – Mekong Song Xanh Cruise Trip from Sai Gon to Chau Doc: Cho Moi cruising tour to Chau Doc and then back to Saigon (B)

Early morning, you have a breakfast while we will be cruising to Chau Doc. We will cruise on a little arm of the Mekong where several traditional activities can be observed on the banks (artisanal boat factories, bamboo baskets making, palm leaves cutting, net fishing), as well as old Vietnamese temples dating from late 19th century. We will reach Chau Doc late in the morning. Chau Doc is located on the banks of the Hau Giang River, a tributary of the Mekong which is a French-style town with many colonial buildings but the most interesting places to visit are the temples and mosques and Sam Mountain with its Buddhist shrines, the town is 280 km south-west of Saigon on to the Cambodian border. With such proximity the local population is an eclectic mix of Cham, Khmer, Chinese and Vietnamese sharing different cultures and historical richness. At around 11am, you will disembark at Chau Doc main city pier. End of services here. During the cruise, fresh cotton towels, exotic seasonal fruits, hot green tea and two bottles of mineral water will be served daily free of charge